Elizabethtown, KY → Chicago, IL
Moving to Chicago costs you $135 a month
−$1,620 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | Elizabethtown | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,125 | $8,176 | +$1,051 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,795 | $2,119 | +$324 |
| Take-home pay | $5,330 | $6,058 | +$727 |
| Rent | $898 | $1,828 | +$930 |
| Getting around | $569 | $392 | −$177 |
| Groceries | $378 | $408 | +$30 |
| Healthcare | $425 | $459 | +$34 |
| Utilities | $236 | $255 | +$19 |
| Everything else | $330 | $357 | +$27 |
| Left over | $2,494 | $2,359 | −$135 |
To break even in Chicago, you'd need to earn
$100,500
Household gross, versus $85,500 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Elizabethtown does now.
The tax difference alone
−$148
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.2% in Elizabethtown, 25.9% in Chicago.
More about Chicago
Elizabethtown, KY in full
A flat 4% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,069 and 197 sunny days; commutes average 24 minutes.
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Chicago on Chicago wages.
Chicago → Elizabethtown →Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.